The medical jurisprudence of insanity / J.M. Pagan.

  • Pagan, J. M. (John MacMichan), 1802-1868.
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The medical jurisprudence of insanity / J.M. Pagan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    medico-legal consequences of this condition are too ob- vious to require a word of comment. Imbecility is a condition in whicli there is limited mani- festation of the intellectual and moral faculties, the conse- quence of imperfect organization, or in which the develop- ment of the mental powers has been prevented in conse- quence of some disease of the brain, in the early periods of life, before education and experience had produced their proper results. It is idiocy, in short, in a minor degree. The organs of the senses perform their functions more or less imperfectly; the intellectual faculties are more or less developed. They are capable of being slightly improved by instruction. Such persons possess sensations, ideas, and memory to a limited extent. They are influenced by passions; they are capable of entertaining affections and desires; but they perceive indistinctly, and reason im- perfectly. Imbeciles, says Esquirol, are generally well formed. Their organization differs but little from the normal state; they enjoy intellectual and affective faculties, but in a weaker degree than the perfect man: and these faculties can only be developed to a certain extent. Whatever education they may receive, they can never be raised to the height of reason, to the extent and solidity of know- ledge which their age, education, and social position should permit them to attain. Placed under sinsilar circumstances with other men, they do not make the same use of their faculties. Imbeciles not only possess imperfect faculties, and imperfect means of acquiring information and instruc- tion, but they are incapable of applying such imperfect faculties as £hey do possess. They are incapable of direct- ing and arresting thisir attention in the usual manner; their memory and judgment are therefore limited; they have not the energy and application of other men; and though